Part of a package of 18 bills to implement a carbon pricing mechanism, the bill imposes a tax on a unit shortfall for a financial year, to the extent that it is neither a duty of customs nor a duty of excise.

Part of a package of 18 bills to implement a carbon pricing mechanism, the bill outlines the structure of, and process for the introduction of, the mechanism by providing for: entities and emissions covered by the mechanism; entities’ obligations to surrender eligible emissions units; limits on the number of eligible emissions units that will be issued; the nature of carbon units; allocation of carbon units; mechanisms to contain costs; linking to other emissions trading schemes; assistance for emissions-intensive, trade-exposed activities and coal-fired electricity generators; monitoring, investigation, enforcement and penalties; administrative review of decisions; and reviews of aspects of the mechanism.

Part of a package of 18 bills to implement a carbon pricing mechanism, the bill establishes the Clean Energy Regulator as an independent statutory body to administer the mechanism included in the Clean Energy Plan, the Carbon Farming Initiative, the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting System, the Renewable Energy Target and the Australian National Registry of Emissions Units.

Part of a package of 18 bills to implement a carbon pricing mechanism, the bill establishes: the Climate Change Authority as an independent statutory body to review the carbon pricing mechanism, the Renewable Energy Target Scheme, the Carbon Farming Initiative, the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting System and other matters as requested by the minister or by both Houses of Parliament; and the Land Sector Carbon and Biodiversity Board to provide advice on key performance indicators and the implementation of land sector and biodiverity measures associated with climate change and undertaken by the Biodiversity Fund.

to provide that Australian licensed financial market participants (such as stockbrokers and derivative traders) may be charged fees so that costs incurred by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission in performing market supervisory functions can be recovered.

to: provide that the minister will make a decision within 30 days of receiving a report or recommendation on which to make a decision; provide that the minister may consider any impacts on jobs and investment in the domestic industry producing like goods during an investigation to determine whether material injury to an Australian industry is being caused or is threatened; reflect all countervailable subsidies under the World Trade Organization Agreements on Subsidies and Countervailing and on Agriculture; and enable industry associations, unions and downstream industry to participate in anti-dumping and countervailing investigations.

The bill: provides for a national plebiscite to be held by 26 November 2011 to ascertain whether the electorate supports the introduction of a price on carbon; requires the Electoral Commissioner to provide the minister with a statement of the results of the plebiscite; and requires the minister to table the statement in both Houses of Parliament.

in relation to the: Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) consideration of acquisitions in local markets (including creeping acquisitions); ACCC’S consideration of multiple markets when assessing mergers; and reform of the prohibition on anti-competitive mergers and acquisitions;

Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001

and

Competition and Consumer Act 2010

, in response to recommendations of the Senate Economics Legislation Committee, to: insert a statement of interpretative principles into the unconscionable conduct provisions; and provide that the statutory concept of unconscionable conduct is consistently applied to both consumers and businesses; and